第78章

She turned away.Here was the opportunity I had been waiting for, the opportunity of breaking off our acquaintance.If I knew anything I knew the tone of that "Good afternoon" meant that, for some reason or other, she was offended, just as I had been certain I wished her to be.Here was the opportunity, Heaven sent, to rid my life of its disturbing influence.Just what I had prayed for had come to pass.

And so, to prove the sincerity of my prayers and the worth of my high resolve, I--called her back.

"Miss Colton," I said.

She, apparently, did not hear me, so I called again.

"Miss Colton."

"Yes?"

"I seem somehow or other to have offended you." And even as I said it I realized the completeness of the back-down, realized it and blushed.I was ashamed of my weakness.Yet when she asked me to repeat my words I did so.

"You spoke to me?" she said, coldly.

"I--I said I had not meant to offend you.""Why should you imagine that I am offended, pray? You seem to think other people must necessarily regard you as seriously as you do yourself.I am not offended.""But you are."

"Very well; then I am.We won't argue the matter; it is scarcely worth argument, is it?"This observation called for no answer in particular, at least Icould not think of one.While I was groping for a word she spoke again.

"Don't let me detain you, Mr.Paine," she said."I am sure your--supper, was it?--must be waiting."

"Miss Colton, you--you seem to resent my not accepting your invitation to visit your father.I assure you I--I should be very glad to call upon him.""Thank you.I will tell him so.He will be grateful, doubtless.

Your condescension is overwhelming, Mr.Paine.""Miss Colton, everything I say seems to be wrong this afternoon.Idon't know what I have done.Twice you have spoken of my condescension."Her foot was beginning to pat the grass.I recognized the battle signal, but I kept on.

"I don't understand what you mean by condescension," I said.

"Don't you, indeed? You are very dense all at once, Mr.Paine.""Possibly.But I don't understand."

For an instant she hesitated.Then she turned on me with a gust of fierce impatience which took my breath away.Her eyes flashed.

"You do," she declared."You do understand, I am not blind.Do you suppose I could not see that you wished to avoid me when I met you at the bank just now? That my company was neither welcome nor desired? That you accepted my suggestion of walking down together merely because you could think of no excuse for declining?"This was a staggerer.And the worst of it was its truth.

"Miss Colton," I faltered, "I can't understand what you mean.I--""You do understand.And please," with a scornful laugh, "oh, PLEASE understand that I am not troubled because of THAT.Your charming and cultivated society is not indispensable to my happiness, Mr.Paine, strange as that may appear to you.Really,"with cutting contempt, "it is not."

"That I quite understand, Miss Colton," I said, "but--""But you are like every one else in this horrid, narrow, bigoted place.Don't you suppose that I see it everywhere I go! Every one here hates us--every one.We are intruders; we are not wanted here, and you all take pains to make us feel as uncomfortable as you can.Oh, you are all snobs--all of you."I actually gasped.

"Snobs!" I repeated."We--snobs?"

"Yes.That is exactly what you are.When Father came here he meant to be a citizen, a good citizen, of the town.He had intended to do all sorts of things to help the village and the people in it.He and I discussed ever so many plans for doing good here.And we wanted to be friendly with every one.But how have you treated us! No one comes to see us.We are avoided as if we had the small-pox.The majority of people scarcely speak to us on the street.I am so lonely and--"She stopped.I had never seen her so agitated.As for me, astonishment is much too mild a term to use in describing my feelings.That these people, these millionaires and aristocrats should feel that they had been avoided and slighted, that we Denboroites were the snobs, that THEY should be lonely because no one, or almost no one, came to call upon them--this was too much for my bewildered brain to grasp all at once.

The young lady went on.

"And you!" she exclaimed."You are as bad as the rest.Father has called upon you several times.I have called on your mother.

Father and I have tried to be friendly and neighborly.Not that we are lacking in friends.We," haughtily, "are not obliged to BEGfor friendship.But we felt it our duty to--"I interrupted.There is a limit to forbearance and I considered that limit reached.

"Miss Colton," I declared, "you are talking nonsense.Considering the manner in which your father treated me when we first met, I--""How did you treat him? How did you treat Mr.Carver and me when you first met us in the auto? You insulted us.It was plain enough then that you hated us.""I--why, Miss Colton, I did not know who you were.""Indeed! Would it have made any difference if you had known? Idoubt it.No, you are like the rest of the people here.Because we have come from the city you have chosen to be as envious and petty and disagreeable as you can.Even Nellie Dean, whom I know better than any one here, has never returned my call.There is a concerted plan to make us feel we are neither welcome nor wanted.

Very well," disdainfully, "we know it.I, for one, shall not force my presence upon any one of you again.And it is probable that Ishall manage to exist even without the delights of Denboro society.

Good-by, Mr.Paine."

"But, Miss Colton--"

"Good-by."

"Miss Colton, listen to me.You are wrong, all wrong, I tell you.